PESHAWAR, Pakistan: Muslim cleric Sami ul-Haq, known as the “Father of the Taliban” for having taught some of the Afghan Islamist movement’s leaders, was shot dead on Friday in a Pakistani city, a relative and his deputy said.

Unknown attackers shot the prominent cleric, who runs an Islamic school in northwestern Pakistan, his deputy Yousaf Sha and nephew said.

They said he was visiting the capital Islamabad this week, but further details of the shooting were unclear. Some local media said ul-Haq was in the neighbouring city of Rawalpindi when he was shot and killed.